“Turning something upside-down elicits a reversal of content and pointing a steeple into the ground directs it to hell as opposed to heaven.” – Dennis Oppenheim
In 1972, Title IX was enacted to ensure all students equal educational and athletic opportunities in federally funded educational activities regardless of their sex. With few exceptions, it states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…”
On March 8, 2021, to advance gender equity and equality, President Biden issued Executive Order 14020 which worked to establish a White House Gender Policy Council consisting of two designated chairs, all 15 federal cabinet secretaries, and other agency members. This action preceded the Department of Education’s new Title IX proposal drawn up in June of 2022, and President Biden’s 1577-page Unofficial Guidelines for Title IX finalized and released by the Department of Education in April of 2024. The new guidelines, scheduled to go into effect nationwide on August 1, 2024, expand the definition of sexual discrimination to include sexual stereotypes, sexual characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy and related conditions for students and employees.
